By her side
by Zoe tabbycat
Summary: When Mac and Stella's daughter got sick, What would they do and how would they feel? Smacked family one-shot. Written because my 5-year-old cousin got sick and I spent half the night nursing him.


By her side

_Summary: When Mac and Stella's daughter got sick, what would they do and how would they feel? Smacked family one-shot. Written because my 5-year-old cousin got sick and I spent half the night nursing him._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable in this story. Shame, but that's the way it is._

'Poor baby.' Mac crooned as he lifted 5-year-old Isabella Taylor out of her bed. Sick with a temperature of 101 °F, she was coughing, sniffing, and generally feeling miserable. Mac took her out into the living room, and Isabella lay there on his chest, tears leaking out of her green eyes.

Stella came into the room, her hands holding bottles of medicine that would make Isabella better. Unfortunately, at the sight of the dreaded medicine bottles, Isabella started to whimper, burying herself into her father's chest.

Mac gently placed one finger under Isabella's chin and tilted her head up, looking at her in the eyes. 'Baby Bell, the medicine will make you feel much better. Why don't you let mommy put them into your mouth and help you get better?'

But Isabella shook her head furiously, absolutely refusing to let Stella put the revolting liquid into her mouth. 'But Baby Bell, you wanna get better? It's almost Christmas. If you don't get better, you won't be able to gave your candies.' Stella tempted her, knowing the candies were among some of her favorite things here on earth.

Still, Isabella shook her head, mumbling something under her breath, but neither Mac nor Stella could catch exactly what she was saying. All of a sudden, without warning, Isabella threw up, her entire dinner ending up on Mac, which was not saying much, since she had close to nothing at dinner. Stella immediately went to fetch a basin and a clean piece of cloth to clean of Isabella. Rubbing her back gently, Mac let Isabella continue vomiting until she felt slightly better.

'Baby Bell, let's drink some water first, alright?' Stella asked, handing her a small cup of warm water, but Isabella spotted the medicine in her hands and started shaking her head again. Mac and Stella tried persuading her again and again, but to no avail. Then Isabella started pointing to the medicine, then the water, then shaking her head. Stella finally understood. She held the medicine to Isabella, who gulped it down quickly and took a large sip of water.

'Good girl, baby Bell, such a good girl.' Mac praised as Stella went to fetch a cool piece of cloth and starting wiping Isabella's cheek. Isabella's eyes began to close, since being in the warmth of her father's chest and the feeling of her mother's hands stroking through her hair and the cool piece of cloth making her cooler was causing her to feel sleepy. After a while, the medication kicked in, and Isabella finally fell asleep, her breathing still raspy, but smoother.

Gently lowering his daughter down on her bed, Mac gave a small kiss on her cheeks and Stella pulled up her covers over her body, preventing her from catching another cold. They both went out of the room quietly, careful not to wake the young child that had finally fallen asleep.

'I really hate it when Bella get's sick.' Stella said sadly as the couple started changing into the nightclothes. She did not hate the part where they had to get up at odd hours at the night to check on her – they used to do it all the time, with their job as a CSI and all. Only after Isabella was born did they stick to their assigned schedule. It was the fact that her precious daughter was not feeling well, and they could do nothing to help her.

'She'll be fine.' Mac assured his wife. Pulling her gently onto the bed, he began to massage her back gently.

'But she looked so… so… poorly. And we can do nothing for her to ease the pain' Stella told him, her voice thick with sadness.

'Sweetheart, I know. I would do anything if it meant our baby girl does not have to go through the pain, but this is also a part of growing up. If she never got sick when she was young, it meant that it would be a lot worse if she was older.' Mac soothed her, continue massaging her tense back.

'I suppose.' Stella answered, unconvinced.

'Stella, we did nothing wrong. Getting sick is part of our lives. When we get better, we are immune against the disease. Now that Isabella had this, she won't be infected by the same type of germs anymore.' Mac continued, laying down and allowing Stella to do the same

'I know, it's just… I guess I am being silly.' Stella answered, snuggling up to Mac.

'There's nothing wrong with being worried, Stella.' Mac answered, wrapping his arms around her. 'You are her mother, mother's tend to get worried at everything. I mean, look at Lindsay. Remember how she freaked out when she thought that Lucy didn't have any milk for breakfast?'

Stella gave a little giggle at the memory of the incident. Lindsay had remembered that small fact in the middle of a pile of paperwork. She had just tossed them onto the floor and was all for getting a bottle for Lucy until someone told her that she could just give it after school. The expression on Lindsay's face was truly comical when she realized the simple solution to her worries.

'Now, why don't we get a little rest, so we can have some energy when Isabella feels poorly again? She seemed a bit better after we had given her some medicines.' Mac suggested as he switched of the light and had another hand placed protectively around Stella.

Stella stayed in his embrace as her eyelids began to droop. They both know that they will be up in a couple of hours, since Isabella would probably need more medicine, but for now, they are contented that Isabella can have a bit of rest and when she need them, they would always be by her side.

_A/N: Uh oh. It's already 12:37 in the morning out here. And I have a dance class at 10 tomorrow, for which I have to leave at 9. I am so going to be murdered by my dance teachers. Anyway, I hope you like this short story. I know that there is not much of a plot in it, but I came up with this idea while I was nursing my cousin and decided to write it out._

_Please review. My cousin loves reading my stories, and seeing reviews can make him feel better. So please, do me a favor and press the beautiful blue button below my name to review. Criticisms are much appreciated but no flamers please._

_Zoe tabbycat_


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